Double shower rod

ABSTRACT

Curtain rod having at least two circumferentially spaced slots arranged therein. In a rod for supporting at least two curtains in substantially face-to-face relationship with respect to each other there is provided at least two circumferentially spaced slots, one thereof being located preferably at the bottom of the rod. Said bottom slot has an internally located bridging element spanning said slot and spanning same by a distance sufficient to define at least one flange adjacent said slot. Means are provided in each of said slots for supporting curtain members therefrom. Said bridging element is spaced inwardly from said flange a distance less than the extent of each of the hangers in said bottom slot measured in a direction parallel to the axis of said rod. Thus, if a bottom curtain is moved by grasping same at a point adjacent the hangers, said curtain may be moved easily. If, however, said curtain is moved by grasping same at a point spaced substantially from said hangers, same will tip and bear against said bridging element to provide a substantial resistance against such movement. Further, a hanger is provided utilizing both a hook and an eyelet for the suspension of curtains or draperies having either grommets or hooks, respectively.

United States Patent [1 1 Ford et al.

[ Oct. 23, 1973 DOUBLE SHOWER ROD [75] Inventors: James A. Ford; Alan A. Ford, both of Sturgis, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Kirsch Company, Sturgis, Mich.

[22] Filed: June 1, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 258,607

52 U.S.Cl ..16/87.4R

[51] Int. Cl A47h 13/00 [58] I Field of Search 160/346, 347, 344,

160/345, 348, 330; 24/73 CH; 16/93 D, 94 D, 95 D, 96 D, 87.2, 87.4, 87.6, 87.8; 211/123 OTHER PUBLICATIONS P9813 German Printed Application 6/1956 Postel.

Primary ExaminerDonald A. Griffin Attorney-Woodhams, Blanchard & Flynn [5 7] ABSTRACT Curtain rod having at least two circumferentially spaced slots arranged therein. In a rod for supporting at least two curtains in substantially face-to-face relationship with respect to each other there is provided at least two circumferentially spaced slots, one thereof being located preferably at the bottom of the rod. Said bottom slot has an internally located bridging element spanning said slot and spanning same by a distance sufficient to define at least one flange adjacent said slot. Means are provided in each of said slots for supporting curtain members therefrom. Said bridging element is spaced inwardly from said flange a distance less than the extent of each of the hangers in said bottom slot measured in a direction parallel to the axis of said rod. Thus, if a bottom curtain is moved by grasping same at a point adjacent the hangers, said curtain may be moved easily. If, however, said curtain is moved by grasping same at a point spaced substantially from said hangers, same will tip and bear against said bridging element to provide a substantial resistance against such movement.

Further, a hanger is provided utilizing both a hook and an eyelet for the suspension of curtains or draperies having either grommets or hooks, respectively.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DOUBLE SHOWER ROD This invention relates to a curtain rod and particularly to a type thereof adapted for suspending in faceto-face relationship atleast two curtains from a single rod. One of the curtains is arranged for easy drawing along the length of the rod and the other is arranged for resisting such drawing under certain circumstances, whereby the latter will tend to remain in a fixed position while the first-mentioned curtain is freely movable back and forth.

While the curtain rod of the present invention is applicable in a wide range of circumstances, the particular situation out of which the present invention arose, occurred in connection with shower rods and hence the following discussion will be in terms of the invention as applied to such use. However, it will be recognized that this use is for purposes of illustration only and that the invention is also applicable elsewhere.

In conventional shower rod curtains, particularly of the type wherein double curtains are used, as one for decorative purposes and one for water protection, it has been customary in many instances to suspend such curtains'on rods which are separate, though adjacently mounted. These rods are often of a conventional type and are well known. However, such rods are usually quite utilitarian in appearance and hence add nothing to the decor of the bathroom. Likewise, in both these and other instances of conventional mounting for double curtains, the curtains are similarly mounted and accordingly, as the inner or water-protecting curtain is moved in the normal usage thereof, there is a tendency for similar movement of the outer, or decorative, curtain. Thus, such other curtain tends to be moved back toward the wall at each end of the shower area which often damages or even destroys its decorative appearance.

Accordingly, the objects of the invention include:

I. To provide a curtain rod for supporting on a single rod a pair of curtains in closely adjacent face-to-face relationship.

2. To provide a curtain rod as aforesaid which is itself of attractively decorative appearance and which can hence be utilized to add materially to the decorative aspects of the room in which such rod is used.

3. To provide a curtain rod as aforesaid which is of particular applicability for supporting a shower curtain arrangement in a bathroom.

4. To provide a curtain rod, as aforesaid, wherein one of said curtains, as the inner one when same are used for shower curtains, will be easily movable back and forth along the length of the rod whereas the other of said curtains can under some circumstances be easily moved and under other circumstances moved only against an appreciable resistance.

5. To provide a curtain rod as aforesaid in which respective curtains can be suspended in place on suitable hangers quickly and easily and wherein they can be as quickly and easily removed therefrom when desired.

6. To provide a curtain rod as aforesaid which is relatively simple to manufacture, can be made largely by extrusion processes and which can be installed into operating position with a minimum of difficulty and a minimum of tools.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with devices of this sort upon reading the following specification and inspection of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one end of a curtain rod embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line [1-11 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3 and showing a hangar in a different position of use.

SUMMARY Briefly, the invention comprises a generally tubular rod having a pair of circumferentially spaced slots. In the illustrated embodiment there is provided a slot on the bottom of the rod and a slot on the rearward side thereof. One of said slots, here the slot on the bottom is bridged by a continuous member extending rigidly across the slot and spaced inwardly from said slot. The bottom hangers have a supporting member suspended on at least one flange adjacent said slot and being of a dimension axially of the rod which is greater than the radial spacing between said flange and said bridging member. Thus, if the curtain suspended from this set of hangers is moved manually by pressure applied adjacent the hangers, they will move easily but if an attempt is made to move same by grasping the curtain itself, this will cause the hangers to tilt and bind between the flanges and said bridge and resist such movement. Further hangers are supported in the side slot, the same generally having circular cross sections so that they can move easily whether they are hanging vertically or are tilted. Thus, a curtain suspended upon these hangers will be easily moved by grasping same whether same is done adjacent the hangers or elsewhere.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a generally tubular rod 1, which in this embodiment is shown for decorative purposes as having a longitudinally fluted outer surface. Said rod is provided with at .least two circumferentially spaced, longitudinally aligned, slots, here a bottom slot 3 and a rearward slot 4. The rearward slot 4 is in this embodiment spaced approximately from the bottom slot. The bottom slot 3 is spanned by a bridge member 6 which is enough wider than said slot to provide at least one flange adjacent said slot, here flanges 5 and 5a, and is spaced a radial distance inward from the flanges 5 and 5a as further detailed below.

Hangers 7 and 8 are placed respectively in the slots 3 and 4 and in turn are provided with hooks or eyelets (here both), or other means, for supporting in any convenient manner a double set of curtains. When the apparatus is used for supporting shower curtains, the inner hangers 8 will support the waterproof curtain and the hangers 7 will support the decorative curtain.

The hangers 8 include a pair of enlarged portions 1 l and 12 of any convenient conventional shape and style but the center section 13 therebetween is preferably of circular cross-section, in order that said hangers 8 may move easily through the slot 4 regardless of whether said hangers are in a vertical position as shown or displaced to assume an angle with respect to the axis of the tubular rod 1. Thus, a curtain hung on said hangers 8 will be easily movable along the rod in a conventional manner regardless of whether the user grasps the curtain at a point adjacent the hangers 8 or elsewhere, particularly at a point substantially spaced below said hangers.

Referring now to the hangers 7, same are provided with a shank 16 of width only slightly less than the width of the slot 3 whereby said hangers will be closely received into and guided by said slot. The shank 16 is surmounted by a slide button 17 of width sufficient to support the hanger on the flange or flanges adjacent slot 3 and of a dimension in the direction parallel to the axis of said rod 1 greater than the radial distance from the flanges and/or 5a to the bridge 6. Thus, if a user grasps a curtain suspended from the hangers 7 at a point adjacent said hangers it will be possible to move said curtain without appreciably tilting said hangers and same will move easily. However, if the user should grasp said curtain at a point spaced appreciably below said hangers, then a tilting force will be applied by the curtain to the hangers and the hangers will tend to assume the position shown in FIG. 4 and impose a resistance against their movement lengthwise of the rod. It will be apparent that the relative dimension of the button 17 in the direction A (FIG. 4) will bear an important relationship to the spacing between the abovementioned flange or flanges 5 and/or 5a, and the bridge 6 but that the exact relationship will depend upon the materials of which said parts are made and the degree of resistance which it is desired to create. However, these relationships are well known to those skilled in the art and can be readily selected as needed to fit a given case in the light of the circumstances above indicated.

It will be apparent that a bridging member such as the member 6 is needed over one of a pair of slots in order to have two slots in a rod as shown and that such bridging member is here utilized for a second purpose, namely, to provide the resistance above mentioned for one set of hangers and thereby enable said set of hangers to remain normally in a predetermined position' without undue displacement therefrom while permitting the second set of hangers, here the water curtain hangers, to be freely movable back and forth as desired.

If desired, it is feasible to place decorative arcuate member 18 appropriately on the hangers 7 so that same extend at least partly around the rod 1 to provide the illusion of large rings on an old-fashioned type of curtain rod to further enhance, if desired, the decorative aspect of the curtain rod in question. Said member 18 may be provided as a separate member to be affixed to the hanger 7 as convenient, such as a metallic member 18 affixed by a suitable screw to a plastic molded hanger 7 or, if preferred, the entire member 18 and 7 may be formed, such as by plastic molding, as a single unit.

While here shown only with hangers 7, either set of hangers may be provided with both hooks 23 and eyelets 24 whereby same may cooperate as desired with curtains utilizing either grommets or hooks, respectively. The hook 23 projects from the hanger immediately above the eyelet 24 which makes possible a convenient plastic molding. The use of such hangers, of course, make necessary the provision of only one type of hanger for both kinds of uses with consequent better convenience in marketing and the possibility of simplifying inventory.

The ends of the rod 1 may be supported in any convenient manner. In this instance, there is shown a generally conventional plate 21 having a rod receiving portion 22 and a rod receiving opening 23. A suitable lug 24 may project upwardly from the lower portion of the 'wall defining the opening 23 and be adapted to project into the adjacent portion of the slot 3 whereby to hold said rod firmly and against rotation. By so holding same against rotation, the rod will not rotate in response to the weight of the curtains supported on the hangers 8 and, instead, the rod will remain firmly in the position shown in the drawings. The base 21 and the rod receiving portion 22 are above indicated as being two separate units and it may be so made if desired. However, in accordance with known practice, it will usually be more convenient to make same as a single unit either as a brass stamping, a casting, or as a plastic molding.

While in the preferred embodiment of the abovedisclosed apparatus, and as described above, the central portions 13 of the hangers 8 are made circular to permit easy movement of the curtain supported on said hangers 8 regardless of whether same are grasped at a point near said curtains or at a point spaced therefrom, it will be recognized as possible also to make said central portion 13 of a length parallel to the longitudinal axis of the curtain rod greater than the width of the slot 4. In such case the curtain supported on the hangers 8 can be moved easily if the user grasps same at a point adjacent said hangers so that in moving said curtain the hangers will not be materially tipped but if the curtain is grasped by the user at a point spaced from said hangers, then said hangers will tip and create a resistance at least somewhat inhibiting such curtain movement. While this arrangement will not normally be desirable for shower room use as above described, it will have value in other applications.

Likewise the slots, though in this embodiment spaced apart circumferentially, may be in other positions as desired. Particularly, but not exclusively, same may be apart in front and back positions or in top and bottom positions or they may be 90 apart in, for example, all three of the front, back and bottom positions. In such latter case, at least two of the slots will, of course, be bridged. Other spacings than 90, or multiples thereof, are also possible if desired, with appropriate design of the hangers, without departing from the broader aspect of the invention.

While placement of the hook 23 and eyelet 24 on the same hanger as shown is desirable for the reasons above set forth, same may be utilized separately if desired. Further, other means, such as one side of snap fastener means, may be applied to the hangers as desired.

Although a particular embodiment has been shown in the drawings and described herein for illustrative purposes, it will be apparent that other variations can be provided which will incorporate the substance of the present invention and will be within the scope of the hereinafter pending claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A curtain rod having at least two circumferentially spaced lengthwise arranged slots therein, a bridge member spanning one of said slots on the radially inward side thereof, said bridge member being of circumferential extent greater than the corresponding width of said spanned slot to define a hanger-supporting flange on at least one side of said slot, one of said slots being at the bottom of said rod; 7

a hanger received within said one slot and supported for longitudinal sliding on at least said flange, the radial spacing of said bridge member from said flange being greater than the thickness in a corresponding direction of the portion of said hanger between said flange and said bridge member but less than the length of said portion in a direction parallel to the axis of said rod; whereby said hanger will slide freely when hanging vertically or tilted a limited distance but will bind and resist sliding movement when tilted more than said limited distance.

2. A curtain rod according to claim 1, wherein the other of said slots is spaced circumferentially approximately 90 from said one slot; and

wherein there is provided a hanger within said other slot, same being of approximately circular cross section in the portion thereof within said slot; whereby a drapery supported on the last-named of said hangers will be freely movable longitudinally of said rod whereas a drap-ery supported on the first-named of said hangers will be freely movable if said hangers are only slightly tilted as said drapery is moved but will resist movement if as said drapery is moved said hangers are tilted beyond a predetermined limit.

3. In a curtain rod having at least two circumferentially spaced lengthwise arranged slots therein, a bridge member spanning one of said slots on the radially inward side thereof, said bridge member being of circumferential extent greater than the corresponding width of said spanned slot to define a hanger supporting flange on at least one side of said slot, the improvement comprising:

a hanger received within one of said slots and supported for longitudinal sliding on at least said flange, the radial spacing of said bridge member from said flange being greater than the thickness in a corresponding direction of the portion of said hanger between said flange and said bridge member but the length of said portion being greater than its clearance above said flange;

whereby said hanger will slide freely when hanging vertically or tilted a limited distance but will bind and resist sliding movement when tilted more than said limited distance. 

1. A curtain rod having at least two circumferentially spaced lengthwise arranged slots therein, a bridge member spanning one of said slots on the radially inward side thereof, said bridge member being of circumferential extent greater than the corresponding width of said spanned slot to define a hangersupporting flange on at least one side of said slot, one of said slots being at the bottom of said rod; a hanger received within said one slot and supported for longitudinal sliding on at least said flange, the radial spacing of said bridge member from said flange being greater than the thickness in a corresponding direction of The portion of said hanger between said flange and said bridge member but less than the length of said portion in a direction parallel to the axis of said rod; whereby said hanger will slide freely when hanging vertically or tilted a limited distance but will bind and resist sliding movement when tilted more than said limited distance.
 2. A curtain rod according to claim 1, wherein the other of said slots is spaced circumferentially approximately 90* from said one slot; and wherein there is provided a hanger within said other slot, same being of approximately circular cross section in the portion thereof within said slot; whereby a drapery supported on the last-named of said hangers will be freely movable longitudinally of said rod whereas a drap-ery supported on the first-named of said hangers will be freely movable if said hangers are only slightly tilted as said drapery is moved but will resist movement if as said drapery is moved said hangers are tilted beyond a predetermined limit.
 3. In a curtain rod having at least two circumferentially spaced lengthwise arranged slots therein, a bridge member spanning one of said slots on the radially inward side thereof, said bridge member being of circumferential extent greater than the corresponding width of said spanned slot to define a hanger supporting flange on at least one side of said slot, the improvement comprising: a hanger received within one of said slots and supported for longitudinal sliding on at least said flange, the radial spacing of said bridge member from said flange being greater than the thickness in a corresponding direction of the portion of said hanger between said flange and said bridge member but the length of said portion being greater than its clearance above said flange; whereby said hanger will slide freely when hanging vertically or tilted a limited distance but will bind and resist sliding movement when tilted more than said limited distance. 